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21 Tips on How to Be a Good and


Effective Emcee
EmceeLester
15-20 minutes

*Update (launch of eBook): So I have received many many


emails from people looking for advice on how to emcee their
events. So after sharing with so many people, I have decided to
compile my decade of emcee experience into an eBook, which
you can find out more here.

So you are here on this page because you are soon going to be
an emcee for an event. So how can you be a good and effective
Emcee (Master of Ceremony)?

I remember the first time I went on stage to emcee an event. I


was 17, and I was forced to do it as part of my school
assignment. I was afraid, I stumbled over my words, and the
butterflies were running amok in my stomach. However, it was
definitely an experience to remember, and I have since used that
and other good/bad experiences to improve my stage presence.

When I have fun as an emcee, it is really such a magical


experience that I can’t wait to get back on stage. However,
emceeing does carry its risks of failure. If you do not prepare

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well, you run the risk of failure and it can be a really painful
experience.

What is the role of an Emcee?

An emcee is the host and facilitator of the event. The event can
be a wedding, a party, a seminar, a conference etc. As long as
you are holding the microphone on stage, you are the emcee.

The role of an emcee is to warm up the crowd to prepare them


for the program ahead. The emcee sets the tone. You are there
to make the main stars of the show look good. You are also there
to make sure there are smooth transitions between different
segments of the program so that it flows smoothly. Should there
be any hiccup, the emcee will have to ensure minimal disruptions
to the program.

Now that we have ascertained what the role of an emcee is, here
are some insights based on my thousands of events in which I
have emceed, and I hope it will help you in your event emceeing.

1. Prepare for an effective event opening

When people are waiting for an event to start, they are usually
restless and raring to go. If you come out without an effective
opening, it will set the dull tone for the entire event, and trust me,
your event will not go down well.

Research has shown that people decide if they like you within

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seconds of meeting you. So now imagine you are on stage facing


hundreds or thousands of people. You have that window of
seconds for the first impression to make those people like you.
This will set the tone for the entire event.

Think of the Olympic games and the elaborate opening ceremony


to kick start the games. Now think of an “elaborate emcee
opening ceremony” to kick start your event!

2. Bring on stage positive and energetic vibes

The last thing people want to hear from an emcee is a dull and
low energy presentation. Imagine you are at a conference and
the emcee comes on with zero energy. The speakers that the
emcee introduce will also bring with them low energy, and so will
the crowd. With the entire tone of the event at such a low energy
setting, your event will not go well.

So as an emcee, always bring with you positive and energetic


vibes on stage. You do not have to jump around on stage (unless
the occasion calls for it), but you will have to sound bright and
enthusiastic for the program ahead.

The more energy you have, the more engaged the audience will
be, and if you’re excited, your audience will get excited. But if
you’re dull and boring, there’s a good chance your audience will
also be bored.

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3. The emcee sets the tone for the event

In addition to point (2) above, while the emcee is not the star, the
emcee will set the tone for the event. There are times to be
serious, and times to have fun. If the emcee is all over the place,
there will be no focus. It is thus important to find a good balance
to set the tone for the event.

A good emcee will be able to read the crowd and set the correct
tone for the entire event.

4. Control the timing of the proceedings

The emcee will have the ultimate control of the event


proceedings. While there may be a stage manager to help
manage the schedule, but by being on stage, the emcee will
have control over what happens.

Always ensure that you are on top of your time management. If


one segment overruns, see if you can recover by cutting some
time off another segment.  If one segment is too short, you can
drag the next segment out. Ultimately, you will have to ensure
that the event starts and ends on time.

5. Always introduce the speaker’s bio

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While you will already be acquainted with the speaker before


introducing him on stage, members of the audience may not
know who the speaker is. Often, the success of that segment will
depend on the participants knowing the credentials or
background of the speaker. This background knowledge will play
an important role in establishing credibility and rapport between
the speaker and participant.

Remember to make the speaker look good.

6. Remember that you are not the star of the show

When the emcee is on stage delivering a speech, there is a part


of the role that requires the emcee to be the center of attraction
on stage.

However as emcee it is not your time in the spotlight.  It is


important for the emcee to understand that he/she is there to
keep things moving and to make sure the speakers on the
program (or the award recipients) are celebrated without hogging
the limelight.

7. Remember to introduce yourself

You will be surprised, but many emcees do not remember to


introduce themselves. If you do not or forget to introduce yourself

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before the start of the event, this will leave a nagging hole in your
audience’s understanding of the event proceedings. They see
you, but don’t know who you are or why you have been chosen
for this central role in the event. So while you are talking up on
stage, they might be wondering why you are up on stage to begin
with.

If you are very confident that everyone in your audience already


knows you, still, introduce yourself anyway. There may be
friends, colleagues, special guests, and spouses in your
audience who do not know you. And those who know who you
are may not really understand what you do, or how and why you
became the emcee for the event.

8. Always be addressing the audience (project your voice)

The worst thing an emcee wants to be doing will be to mumble to


him/herself while on stage. Sometimes when one has stage fright
or feel nervous on stage, this will tend to happen. If you mumble
or talk to yourself  on stage, you will not be able to reach the
audience effectively. They might now be able to hear you even if
you’re using the microphone.

Always be addressing the audience, like you are talking to each


member of the audience individually. Project your voice into the
microphone such that you are talking to the entire audience. This
will come hand in hand with the next point (9), where you will
have to maintain eye contact with your audience while projecting
your voice.

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9. Maintain eye contact with your audience

Together with the point (8) above: In order to establish credibility


with your audience, making contact helps to maintain an
audience’s interest and encourages them to believe that you are
genuinely interested in talking to them. If your audience is a large
group, always look up and sweep your eyes across the audience.

A helpful tip would be to think of the audience as sitting in a “Z”


formation. Start with the top left of the audience for a few
seconds (while looking up from your script, if any) before looking
right for a few seconds, then move down to the bottom left
followed by the bottom right, in what is a “Z” around the room.

You can break your “Z” by starting from the middle or the back of
the room to vary your eye contact.This will look like you are
addressing the entire audience.

Together with projecting your voice and maintaining eye contact,


this will give you the “intimacy” and credibility with your audience.
On the other hand, a poor emcee will appear to be speaking to
an empty room.

10. Bring pace to your delivery

Make sure that the speed of your delivery is easy to follow. If you

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speak too slowly or too quickly, your audience will have difficulty
following what you say.

A tip to add life to your emcee presentation is to change the pace


of your delivery. A slightly faster section might convey
enthusiasm. A slightly slower one might add emphasis or caution.

11. Share key event information

Before an event starts, the audience will be wondering about the


proceedings of the event. If you do not answer these questions,
they tend to become distractions that prevent your audience
members from giving you their full attention.

In your first few minutes on stage, put them at ease and set their
expectations by giving them the full agenda for your event. There
may already be a printed event schedule on the table in front of
them, so just be sure to remind them that they are able to refer to
the schedule if they have any questions about the timing of
certain segments.

12. Breathe steadily and deeply

Always remember to breath steadily and deeply. If you are


anxious about being on stage your breathing will become fast
and shallow. This will affect the quality of your voice and your
ability to speak clearly for extended periods of time.

If you are nervous, try to take a few deep breaths before you
make your way onto the stage. Make a conscious effort to slow

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your breathing down and taking in more air with each breath.
During your delivery, use pauses after questions or at the end of
sections to allow comfortable breathing patterns.

Always remember to breath steadily.

13. Avoid cold drinks or spicy food before/during your time


on stage

Ice cold drinks will constrict your throat and affect the quality of
your voice. If you need to quench your thirst, drink a warm (not
hot) cup of water to relax your throat and ease your speaking
voice. If not room temperature water will do the trick.

Also remember to avoid spicy food as it can cause phlegm and


will affect your stage delivery. Increased mucous in your throat
can cause you to repeatedly clear your throat and sometimes
even block your voice all together.

Other foods that cause phlegm include dairy products, caffeine


and alcohol, so be careful with your vocal cords if you tend to get
phlegm after consuming these items. 

14. Practise Practise Practise

The more familiar you are with your emcee script the more you
will be able to inspire your audience’s trust and confidence.
Practise reading through your script to yourself and if possible,
stand up in a room and deliver your presentation to the walls.

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Familiarise yourself with your script so you are in control all the
time should any eventuality happen.

Get used to hearing your own voice filling a room. Familiarise


yourself with the hard to pronounce words and phrases in your
script. Play around with different speaking volumes and see how
well you can hear your own voice.

This preparation will go a long way your role as an emcee on


stage.

15. Smile, even if you don’t mean it

Your nonverbal body language is as important as what you say


on stage while emceeing.  If you smile at your audience, they are
likely to smile back. And a smile engenders good feelings and a
true connection — even if the smile is forced.

When you are forcing a smile, you are still genuinely trying to
make a positive connection, so most people will read the
nonverbal cue as positive.

But if you can, smile genuinely like you mean it. This will give a
happy and positive vibe to the audience and they will reciprocate
and be more receptive to you.

16. Dress the part

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Different events will have different dress codes, and the emcee
will have to look the part. 

If the audience will have on suits and dresses, wear your best
suit or dress, and make sure your clothing is clean, well tailored
and well ironed.

If the audience will have on casual wear, wear your best smart
casual wear, again making sure your clothing is clean and well
ironed.

17. Be prepared if you (or anyone else) make a mistake

No matter how professional an emcee is, the fact is everyone


makes mistakes. Even my many years of professional
experience on stage do not shield me from making mistakes.

And mistakes actually make people appear more human and


come across as more relatable. But, when we become
uncomfortable with slip-ups and gaffes, then our audience
becomes more uncomfortable as well.

So the goal here is to recover nicely should there be a blunder on


stage. Always be prepared with a back up plan like a joke or a
nugget of information that you can keep on hand to use should
there be a gaffe on stage.

The key to being a good emcee is to always be in control at all


times no matter what happens.

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18. Apologize should a major mistake happen

The worst mistake in the history of emceeing was made by Steve


Harvey, when he announced the wrong country as the winner of
Miss Universe 2015.

After that bad mistake, he came on and man up for his mistake
and apologized. He started off with four words: “I have to
apologize.” In his case, this was a severe major mistake that
needed an apology to put things into context.

If you (and you will) make a minor mistake like mispronouncing a


few words, just carry on with the program or the emcee script.
The best way forward often is to keep your cool and get on the
with the programme. There’s no need to freeze or apologise
profusely. The audience are mainly there for the programme!

If you made a mistake on stage, console in the fact that the worst
mistake that an emcee can make (in history!) has already been
made by Steve Harvey, so fret not! 

Keep calm and emcee on!

19. Arrive early to do a sound check and ensure everything


is in order

I’m usually one of the first to arrive at an event venue so that I

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can get myself into the right frame of mind, look around and be
familiar with my surroundings.

It is important to arrive early so that logistical (if you require


chairs or tables on stage) and technical  (e.g microphone sound
check) matters can be be done.

Always do a sound check before the event starts so that you can
tweak your voice EQ (to ensure you sound good), ensure the
sound system is working good as well as to hear the acoustics of
the room. 

Also, meet the client/stage manager/event manager/venue


manager to run through the program and discuss your concerns
regarding anything that you think needs attention. An event is a
team effort and everyone needs to be on the same page.

Arriving early will also give you the emcee time to settle down
and observe the crowd to help you adapt your style for emceeing
later.

20. Transitions between different segments of the program


(Dead Air)

A good and effective emcee will always ensure a seamless


transition between different segments of the program. For
example, after a speaker finishes his speech, an emcee will
immediately come on to thank the speaker and introduce the next
segment of the program. In some cases, a light hearted banter
might even be appropriate between the emcee and the speaker
at the end of his speech.

It is paramount that there is no “dead air” on stage during the


program. Dead air is bad air on stage. 

As an emcee, it is important to always be on alert to ensure that


there is no dead air. For example, if a video was supposed to
play and for some reason the video didn’t play, the emcee will
have to step in to recover the dead air.

Remember, dead air is a big NO NO!

21. Prepare the closing for the event

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Just as there has to be a good opening, there has to be a closing


to wrap up the event. A skeleton for a good closing is as follows:

a. Thank the audience

b. Recap the proceedings for the day

c. Re-emphasize key points

d. Remind the audience of any announcements (e.g where to


redeem parking coupons, or where to get the presentation slides
of the speakers)

e. Wish them well 

Just like the Olympic games opening ceremony, there will be an


elaborate closing ceremony to close off the games. Now think of
an “appropriate closing ceremony” to close off your event!

So there you have it, 21 tips on how to be a good and effective


emcee! The most important thing is to have fun on stage! I
always have fun when I’m on stage, and I hope you enjoy your
journey as an emcee or Master of Ceremony.

Relax, smile and enjoy yourself! The more you embrace your


emcee (master of ceremony) role with joy and excitement, the
more fun you’ll have and the more fun your audience will have.

Have fun and emcee on!

P. S. If you think this article has helped you, you can support my
work by buying my ebook. I share lots of advanced tips on how

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you can better emcee an event. Click here!

If you need to reach me:

GET IN TOUCH

P.S. Keep in touch with me by following me on my Facebook


page here.

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